TAMPA, Fla. – New York Red Bulls II midfielder Daniel Edelman was named to the Week 28 USL Championship Team of the Week, the league announced today. Midfielders Jeremy Rafanello and Steven Sserwadda were named as part of the bench.
Edelman scored his first goal of the season in New York’ 4-1 victory against Loudoun United FC. He also became one of just seven players in club history to make 30 appearances in a single season.
Rafanello scored his sixth and seventh goals of the season in the victory, marking his second brace of the 2021 campaign. His seven goals rank second on the team.
Sserwadda, after joining the club in late September, made the Team of the Week in just his fourth match. He played all 90 minutes for the first time with New York while making his second start of the season.
USL Championship Team of the Week – Week 28
GK – Patrick Rakovsky, Orange County SC: The German shot-stopper recorded a five-save shutout in a 1-0 victory against the LA Galaxy II that cemented OCSC’s second-place finish in the Pacific Division to close the season.
D – Bradley Bourgeois, FC Tulsa: The veteran defender had a standout performance as Tulsa claimed the Black Gold Derby series with a 2-0 victory against OKC Energy FC on Saturday as he notched one assist, completed four key passes and 54 of 61 passes overall while recording five interceptions and 10 recoveries.
D – Baboucarr Nije, Rio Grande Valley FC: The Gambian defender started in both the Toros’ victories to seal a playoff place and across the two games won 20 of 26 duels, completed 99 of 109 passes and made five interceptions and 17 recoveries.
D – Kortne Ford, San Antonio FC: Kortne Ford scored the final goal in San Antonio’s 3-0 victory against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC and recorded four interceptions and four recoveries while winning the lone tackle and both aerial duels he contested.
D – Mark Segbers, Memphis 901 FC: Mark Sebgers recorded one goal and one assist across two victories for 901 FC while notching two key passes and completing 59 of 74 passes overall and recording three interceptions defensively.
M – Daniel Edelman, New York Red Bulls II: Daniel Edelman put in a fine two-way performance in New York’s 4-1 victory against Loudoun United FC, recording one goal and two key passes as he completed 32 of 38 passes overall. Defensively, he won 8 of 10 duels and 4 of 4 tackles and notched 13 recoveries.
M – Chris Wehan, New Mexico United: Chris Wehan recorded a pair of goals and had three shots and one key pass while completing 19 of 23 passes in New Mexico’s 3-1 victory against Real Monarchs SLC on Saturday evening.
M – Laurent Kissiedou, Memphis 901 FC: Laurent Kissiedou recorded a pair of assists in Memphis’ 3-0 victory against Indy Eleven on Saturday night and finished the week with seven shots and eight key passes over two wins that sent 901 FC to the No. 3 seed in the Central Division.
F – Kyle Edwards, Rio Grande Valley FC: The St. Vincent and Grenadines international notched a pair of goals and had five shots overall in the Toros’ playoff-clinching 4-1 victory against El Paso Locomotive FC on Saturday while also winning 5 of 5 duels and completing 4 of 4 dribbles.
F – Steevan Dos Santos, Tampa Bay Rowdies: The Cape Verde forward scored both goals as the Rowdies took a 2-1 victory against Las Vegas Lights FC on Saturday while also notching four key passes and winning 8 of 12 duels as Tampa Bay earned the best record in the Championship’s regular season.
F – Walmer Martinez, Hartford Athletic: The El Salvador international scored his first two goals in the Championship in the Athletic’s 2-0 victory against the Charleston Battery on Tuesday night and completed 22 of 26 passes and one key pass as well.
Bench: Brady Scott (MEM), Akeem Ward (OAK), Rodrigo Lopez (RGV), Steven Sserwadda (NY), Gabriel Obertan (CLT), Christian Sorto (RGV), Jeremy Rafanello (NY)
